The Conservative Party has said it will not remain complacent following their win following last night's Newark by-election win.
Tory candidate Robert Jenrick received 17,431 votes, with UKIP's Roger Helmer on 10,028 ahead of Labour's Michael Payne on 6,842.
The night also saw a complete annihilation of the Liberal Democrat vote under David Watts, who fell into sixth place with a 1,004 share, behind the Green Party's David Kirwan, who ended on 1,057 votes.
Independent Paul Baggaley also beat the Lib Dems, as well as the Greens, on 1,891 votes - coming fourth place in the results, which were announced at 3.30am on June 6.
Mr Jenrick's win was met with praise from party leadership including David Cameron who tweeted: "In @RobertJenrick the people of Newark will have an MP who will fight for them and work to deliver a brighter future for all."
Chancellor George Osborne said it had been an important occasion for the Tories but said the party would not sit on its laurels.
"We have won this seat with a big majority," he told the BBC.
"This is the first time in 25 years that the Conservative have held a by-election in government.
"We can take some comfort from this result but we know, of course, that the job is not done.
"We have to get out there and take our message to the other constituencies over the coming year."
UKIP leader Nigel Farage, whose party came in second, said the result was a landmark moment.
He said: "The Conservatives were 25,000 votes ahead of us here in 2010.
"The people's army is getting more professional and better at what it does."
With less than five per cent of the total votes, the Liberal Democrats ended up forfeiting the £500 paid to run in the election.
David Watts, the Lib Dem candidate for Newark said: "Well it wasn't a good result, but smaller parties often get squeezed in by-elections and that's what's happened to us here."
Ahead of the vote Labour's Chris Bryant MP, who ran Michael Payne's campaign, said he felt they were unlikely to win.
He said: "Mr Bryant conceded that his party was unlikely to win the election.
"But I've had a lot of positive feedback for our candidate Michael Payne. We know the real issue in Newark is the hospital.
"At one person's door, they told me they were staunch Labour voters but were gritting their teeth and voting Conservative just to keep UKIP out."
Voters in Southwell said the election attention had caused a stir in the town.
Esme McQuillan, 38, of King Street said: "The eyes of the whole country are on Mewark and all the villages around.
"When you come out your house you get accosted, even if you're just off to the shops."
Trev Savage, 78, of Lowdham said: "We've been here for 15 years and I've not seen a campaign like this before.
"It's been busy and it's been nice to see some younger voters out."
Do you think Robert Jenrick is the right MP for Newark? Email newsdesk@nottinghampost.com
